Master B2B Friday 15

This week, Brian and Andy (and Jared) talk about the events they attended last week.  Brian and Andy joined B2B Online in Chicago, where they heard so much (maybe too much?) about AI.  Jared headed to IR B2B eComm Conference (mouthful) in Manchester England, where he noticed some cultural differences between European and American teams.

Brian and Andy share a preview of Andy's upcoming book, Bot 2 Bot: The New Future of B2B Commerce, a deep dive into how AI is transforming B2B buying and selling. Andy shares the book's central thesis: that AI adoption in B2B is already outpacing B2C by a rate of 3 to 1, and that AI agents are expanding outward from data-heavy "middle mile" functions like pricing, quoting, and order management toward fully customer-facing interactions. Looking ahead, Andy offers predictions for the next two-to-five years, including the rise of "headless distributors" selling bot-to-bot with no human interaction, and AI-powered super apps that will manage professional buyers' entire workdays. The book will be available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle, with updated editions planned as the landscape continues to evolve.

Andy and Brian dig into a topic we haven't tackled in a while (and frankly, we haven't heard much about in a while): should companies own their own marketplaces? And for the first time in a while, the guys disagree. (Hint: don't ask Brian to fund your marketplace). Plus, what can we learn from Andy Jassy's shareholder letter?

This week we're joined by fellow Master B2B guy Jared Blank to talk about the most overhyped and underhyped ideas in B2B.  And because everything is AI nowadays, AI somehow shows up on both lists.  Because of course.  But we also talk about alternative payment methods, product data and GEO, all of which may be underhyped.

This week, Andy and Brian bring on Master B2B's Chris Germann to talk about how AI is impacting practitioners' relationships with their system integrators.  What were those companies providing that no longer need to be done by an outside firm?  Where should manufacturers and distributors lean on SIs now for help?  And Andy gives some advice to SIs: "If you haven't figured out how to make data a strategic weapon, you're going to fail."

Andy and Brian share some of their insights from a Master B2B Summit roundtable, where practitioners shared where they will spend the next dollar of their budget.  Yes, execs talked about measuring the ROI of their investments and customer experience, but they also offered some surprising thoughts on where they plan to invest this year.

Andy and Brian spent the week with their B2C peers in Las Vegas at the Shoptalk event, and they came back with some fascinating insights into how B2B and B2C differ in their approach to eCommerce and 5 ways that they're actually more similar than they thought.

This week, Andy & Brian discuss whether all of the AI tools we're using at work are actually making us more productive or whether they're just increasing the output of maybe-just-slightly-better-than-average deliverables.  And how can we avoid getting into the AI rabbit hole where we go to start one quick task and end up in a 2-hour conversation with an LLM?

This week, Andy and Brian share their key learnings from the 2026 Master B2B Mindshare Summit held this week in Chicago.  Whether you were there - or just wish that you were - you'll get a taste of what participants learned at the event.

This week, Andy and Brian speak with Ntara's CEO, Andy Didyk about how organizations are working with their product data to ensure it's being discovered by LLMs.  As Andy Didyk says in the interview, companies are finding that they have hidden data troves that are powering their AEO/GEO efforts. This episode is also a preview of a session that the three of them will lead at the Master B2B Mindshare Summit on the same topic.  More info is available on the event website.

On the Friday 15, Andy & Brian talk to Optimizely's Trevor Pope about whether practitioners should think about AI initiatives in terms of their impact on costs or their impact on revenue. (You might be surprised to hear that it can be both...) Master B2B Summit Master B2B Forum

Andy and Brian are joined by eCommerce expert Howard Blumenthal to talk about how companies should think about the value of their AI initiatives.  Howard lays out a useful set of questions for preparing for new AI projects: Are we looking at the right workflows for AI? Are we measuring the right things? Is our data ready? Do we have a governance plan? Plus, learn how B2B eCommerce leaders are approaching the 4 hottest AI categories. Learn more about the Master B2B Mindshare Summit

Andy and Brian are joined by Andy Goodfellow, SVP and Chief Technology Officer at Zoro, to discuss why there has historically been friction between the IT departments and eCommerce teams at so many companies.  Goodfellow shares how Zoro turned this dynamic on its head by aligning everyone on a singular goal - creating value for the end customer.  Plus, he gives some great advice about not confusing internal stakeholders with external customers.   Join the Master B2B Forum Sign up for the Master B2B Summit

Andy and Brian talk with Rob Howl, the Vice President of Digital Products and Experience at HVAC parts distributor mSupply about how the company is approaching building out Answer Engine Optimization capabilities. Rob discussed the framework called EAT - Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness - and using that to guide how the company thinks about changing its approach to product information and landing pages.  As he told Andy & Brian - "Your AEO strategy is only as good as your product data." We'll be discussing AEO strategies at the Master B2B Mindshare Summit on March 10 and 11 in Chicago.    

Building trust with your customers was difficult before AI began hallucinating information about your products.  So how can companies overcome that challenge?  It comes down to transparency, consistency and honesty.  Andy and Brian discuss best practices for bringing those traits to your organization.

Is AI becoming an oligopoly? Apple just paid Google $1 BILLION for AI technology, admitting Apple Intelligence failed. This changes everything for B2B commerce. In this episode of Master B2B Friday 15, Brian Beck and Andy Hoar break down the emerging AI oligopoly and what it means for B2B e-commerce leaders.  KEY TOPICS COVERED: Apple's $1B deal with Google for Gemini AI (and why it matters) The Protocol Wars: OpenAI's ACP vs. Google's Universal Commerce Protocol Why only 3-5 foundation AI models will survive The $3 trillion infrastructure investment battle How ChatGPT (68% market share) and Google Gemini (18%) dominate Market share shifts: Traditional Google search (78%) vs. ChatGPT queries (17%) What B2B companies must do NOW to prepare for AEO (AI Engine Optimization) Why B2B may have an advantage over B2C in the AI era

We're joined by Kevin Stone, Senior Vice President of Technology & Procurement at Motion Industries, to talk about how AI has changed the hiring process. While it's gotten way easier to create the perfect resume when applying for a job, it's gotten equally more challenging for hiring managers to figure out whether what's on a resume actually represents a candidate's experience. Kevin walks us through how he vets candidates and what he's learned about hiring in this new era. Notes: Master B2B Mindshare Summit Master B2B Forum

Andy and Brian are joined by Adrienne Hartman, EVP of Marketing at Safety & Regulatory Compliance company JJ Keller, to discuss how to align your sales and marketing teams, and what tools they need to ensure this alignment is a success.

Our final podcast of the year!  This week Andy & Brian talk about the biggest stories of the year: Was everyone wrong about tariffs? Nobody getting hired, nobody getting fired? Disruption in the Search market because of AI... Thanks to everyone for listening! We hope to see you at the Master B2B Mindshare Summit in March: https://events.masterb2b.com/events/summit

Andy and Brian debate whether Google's recent resurgence in the AI race can continue, and whether there are any historical parallels we can look at to make some guesses about how this all plays out. Plus, is OpenAI the new Netscape? Visit us at MasterB2B.com.

We're sharing a recording of our recent Webcast where we revealed our B2B eCommerce predictions for 2026.  Learn what we think is going to happen with product search, Amazon Business, AI customer service and more.  Plus, we bring in special guests to tell us where they think we're right - and wrong - about the future. Get the Predictions report here.

For brands selling on Amazon, channel conflict and brand control are still a huge issue. That's why we recently had an onstage debate at B2B Online in Atlanta to figure out which method of selling on Amazon - 1p or 3p - is the best option for a manufacturer. As a reminder, 1p is a wholesale model and 3p is a retail model. In this recap, we discuss: - Which option is the best approach for channel control - what you sell, what you charge, how it's presented? - Which selling method is preferable from an operational/fulfillment perspective? - Which is superior from a financial perspective?  Also mentioned: Master B2B Forum Master B2B Nexus

Andy and Brian spent the week in Seattle at the Amazon Business Reshape conference getting a deep dive into Amazon Business.  Today on the Friday 15, they chat with Natalia Montuori, a Director at Amazon Business, about AI buying assistants, direct delivery, business advertising and more.

It's 2025, so shouldn't every company have an eCommerce website? Not so, says Schneider Electric's Anthony Locke. Anthony says that companies have to consider what they are uniquely good at, and what their distribution partners are uniquely good at, and then decide whether they should have an eCommerce presence. And the answer for multi-billion dollar Schneider Electric was that they should not sell online and instead should focus on supporting their distribution partners.

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian talk with Gireesh Sahukar, a longtime software executive and eCommerce practitioner about what software buyers REALLY need to ask their potential vendors about their products. Here's a hint - you don't just want a list of product features that they say meets your needs...and why executive churn may not be a bad sign.   The Paradigm B2B eCombine Master B2B Nexus

This week, Andy and Brian return from hosting Master B2B executive roundtables across the country and share how practitioners are making the pitch to their CIO, CFO and CEO to fund their eCommerce initiatives. And the answer is simple - "say it's an AI initiative."  Andy shared a story from one roundtable participant who made a pitch for a software investment to his CFO and the CFO responded, "Are you sure this isn't an AI tool? (wink wink)" knowing that every AI investment was being approved internally.  

This week, Master B2B's Andy Hoar is joined by Master B2B contributor Jared Blank to talk through Andy's new Paradigm B2B eCombine tool that helps practitioners select the best eCommerce platforms to investigate for their business. Plus, why are so many businesses giving up being a public company and going private nowadays? Check out the eCombine here.

Author and executive Dr. Lisa Palmer shares learnings from her new book, "Show AI - Don't Tell It: Build Buy-In with Visual Storytelling." In her research she found that there are 3 key reasons why executives get "stuck" when considering their AI strategy, and she offers a framework for how to get "un-stuck" and unlock AI's potential within your company. Dr Lisa's Advisory Firm Buy Dr. Lisa's book

The stock market has punished the shares of research firms Gartner and Forrester because of the possible impact of AI on their revenues. But it's not so clear that AI can replace everything research analysts do. Former analyst Andy Hoar walks through what analysts actually do in their roles, and which parts of their jobs will be - and won't be - impacted by AI.

Brands have failed to rein in unauthorized distributors who re-sell their products on marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. Is there nothing they can do to protect themselves? We speak with attorney Jon Groza from the firm KJK about how manufacturers and brands can maintain control of where their product is sold. More about Jon Groza Master B2B Forum Master B2B Nexus

This week Brian Beck attended the Amazon Accelerate seller conference and came back to share the key themes that he took away from the event: 1) AI AI AI (and also AI) 2) Fulfillment is now a strategic pillar for the company 3) Will they commercialize their analytics capabilities? 4) 1p vs 3p is now a war

This week, Andy & Brian look at whether there is a future in so-called "composable commerce" or if both tech providers and buyers need to adapt.  Should retailers be in the business of building tech?  And do tech providers need to re-think their approach and offer solutions that offer a mix of pre-built modules and flexibility?  Or is this all the wrong way of thinking about it?

This week, Andy & Brian look at whether the current trend of flattening organizations will actually be good for businesses.  They discuss concerns that managers will find it impossible to oversee a team of 15 on their own, and what happens when junior employees are not able to spend sufficient time with their managers.  Who will do the development? (Obviously it'll be ChatGPT.)

This week, Andy and Brian talk through a recent MIT report that found 95% of AI projects fail.  They discuss the barriers to success - specifically that the challenges aren't technical, they're strategic and cultural. And they walk through the 3 "un's" - these projects are often undefined, unfocused and unmeasured.  Finally, they discuss the best practices they've learned working on their own AI initiatives.

Andy & Brian speak with American Eagle's Tim Ahlenius about how systems integrators are adapting to the new world of AI.  They discuss the need for systems thinking - understanding how different systems fit together and how changing one piece affects the whole - and how AI can help speed up parts of implementation projects, while requiring a different set of skills to ensure success. American Eagle

This week, Andy & Brian speak with former Grainger, Caterpillar, and Rexel executive John Pehler about how he has transitioned from being a full-time Chief Digital Officer in B2B companies to building a series of part-time gigs into a career.  

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian talk about the changing structure of the workforce and how gig roles will become increasingly prominent in B2B eCommerce, and how people will change their approach to working and build careers where they’re doing multiple jobs on a gig basis. Then they share how they’re embracing this change in their own careers. Notes: Master B2B Nexus Master B2B Forum The WSJ article about CEOs cutting jobs.

This week on the podcast, Andy & Brian speak with Ed Fenton, the Vice President of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation at wholesale distributor Graybar, about what it’s like for senior executives to search for a job in the age of AI.  Ed talks through six key lessons he learned from his own six month job search.

Andy and Brian walk through the results of Andy's Paradigm B2B Combine reports on eCommerce platforms, and they discuss strategies for preparing for a platform selection.   Download the Midmarket Report Download the Enterprise Report

Key takeaways from this week's episode: Home Depot continues expanding into B2B, leveraging its digital strengths and logistics infrastructure. B2B eCommerce teams are significantly smaller than their B2C counterparts, often due to legacy thinking. 88% of the Master B2B community believes B2B eCommerce teams are too small. Many B2B companies lack foundational digital roles like merchandisers or CMOs. Understaffing can lead to lost revenue, poor customer experience, and missed market opportunities. B2B companies must rethink how they structure and resource eCommerce teams to compete in today’s digital-first world.

One of the big questions of the moment in AI is whether we are experiencing a REvolution or an Evolution when it comes to whether new technologies will enhance the decisions eCommerce practitioners make in their day-to-day roles, or whether it will soon take over many of the decisions practitioners make. Join Andy Hoar, Brian Beck, and HCL's Brian Gillespie as they try to bust the myth that AI be making all of our decisions for us. The Mythbuster discusses: – Can Agentic AI agents build dynamic experiences on the fly based on multiple factors (e.g., weather, inventory demand, etc.) for buyers? – Will all the elements of experience design be automated? – Have we reached the end of complex, cumbersome pricing rules because pricing will be dynamic? – Are we getting to a point where AI understands the context of human relationships? Check out all the Master B2B events at MasterB2B.com.

When we surveyed B2B practitioners, we learned that they have chosen not to invest in mobile, even though their B2C counterparts have long ago made the shift to focus on mobile.  We heard that 34% of B2B companies have less than 5% of their sales on mobile, while 18% don’t even track mobile sales. In this podcast, Andy and Brian talk about some of the reasons why mobile is on the back burner, and why this is a huge missed opportunity for most companies. Learn more about our upcoming events and the practitioner Forum at MasterB2B.com

In B2B eCommerce practitioners are all asking the same question: how do I get my products to show up in search results when people are searching on an AI tool like ChatGPT or Perplexity? The answer, it seems, is to create authority around your listings, and in this podcast Andy Hoar and Brian Beck discuss exactly how to do that.

Andy and Brian dig into the new (and mysterious) world of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and what that means for how B2B eCommerce companies that are looking to drive traffic to their websites (which is, of course, all of them). How will it replace their SEO efforts (if at all?) They share 5 emerging GEO best practices: - AI answers reduce clicks (AI provides the answer up front) - Semantic relevance rules: focus on topics, not just keywords. - Expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness (EAT) now more important than anything else - Structured, scannable content wins - Visibility is more important than ranking: Success now includes being mentioned in AI outputs, not just appearing in top search results. For more Master B2B resources and events, visit http://www.masterb2b.com And for practitioners, we offer the Master B2B Forum, a free community exclusively for B2B eCommerce practitioners. Learn more at http://www.masterb2b.com/forum

Andy & Brian offer six criteria for how B2B eCommerce practitioners should select a system integrator when they are embarking on a commerce technology project.   The Friday 15 is presented by Master B2B Nexus, your personal B2B digital lifeline..  Visit us at http://www.masterb2b.com/nexus

This week - Andy and Brian debate whether someone looking to implement a new eCommerce platform should choose their system integrator first, or whether they should select their technology first.  And whether that's the right question to be asking at all... Visit us at masterb2b.com to see all our upcoming events and to join our Forum.

Andy & Brian talk through their key takeaways from the dozen executive roundtables they held with B2B eCommerce practitioners across the country.

Andy and Brian recap the key themes from B2B Online in Chicago, including what it means when younger executives take over senior roles in a company, and how practitioners are talking about tariffs.   Learn more about Master B2B, the online forum and NEXUS at MasterB2B.com.

Andy and Brian recap their on-stage debate from B2B Online where they wrestled with whether private equity is ultimate good or bad for B2B companies. Is it true that PE firms never invest for the long-term? Is it true that your career is at risk if your company is bought by a PE firm? Are there benefits to having a PE owner? Visit our website to learn more about Master B2B.

Andy & Brian talk about whether B2B companies are correct when they say that they view Amazon as a foe. Brian makes the case that Amazon will only continue to steal market share in B2B, and the best way to understand what they're doing is to be on the site selling yourself.   See all the Master B2B events and see how to join the online Forum at MasterB2B.com.